Release means for electromagnetic structures



Jan. 29, 1946.

S. S. CRAMER RELEASE MEANS FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC STRUCTURES Filed March 28, 1944 FIG. 2

mm 9 I MLL U INVENTOR. STANLEY 6. CRAMER A TTORNE Y Patented.Jan. 29, 1946 PATENT OFFICE RELEASE MEANS FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC STRUCTURES Stanley S. Cramer, Haddon Heights, N. J.

Application March 28, 1944, Serial No. 528,392

8 Claims. (Cl. 175341) This invention relates to a solenoid type of electromagnetic structure wherein rotary motion is delivered directly by the movable armature of the electromagnet.

In my Patent 2,337,375, dated December 21, 1943, to which reference may be made, I have set forth the objects and advantages of this solenoid type of electromagnet, and particularly the means for releasing the driving connection between the shaft, which is turned by the armature of the electromagnet, and the load. Furthermore, in my pending application, Serial No. 499,328, filed August 20, 1943, I have shown certain improvements to the structure of the abovementioned patent, as well as certain electrical means for automatically opening the circuit of the solenoid after a predetermined interval.

My present invention has for its principal object the provision of mechanical means for automatically releasing the armature of the electromagnet from the shaft driven thereby when the armature reaches the limit of its stroke or movement.

My present construction is shown in the attached drawing, wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevation of the structure for accomplishing the general object of the invention.

Figure 2 is an end view of Figure 1, looking from right to left.

Figure 3 is a view on line 33 of Figure 4, but with the armature in its'fully operated position and without the electromagnet and some other parts, the final position of the release arm being indicated by broken lines.

Figure 4 is a plan view of Figure 1, looking down from the top, with the armature turned to fully operated position.

Figure 5 is a section on the line 55 of Figure 1. I

Figure 6 is a side view of just the arm shown in Figure 5.

Referring now to the details wherein like numbers refer to corresponding parts, I is a hollow electromagnet having a core structure 2. The winding and core structure are carried by brackets 3 which are fastened to a support plate 4., The plate 4 has a bearing 5 supporting one end of ashaft Ii which has a, reduced end I that supports a sleeve 9. On the sleeve 8 is fixedly mounted an armature 9 of 'a construction previously referred to in my application S. N. 499,328. The armature 9 has an arm III which is fastened to the sleeve 8. The sleeve 8 also fixedly carries a pair of discs II and I2 between which and to the sleeve 8 is fastened a spring Ill. The end of the spring I3 is fastened to a. fixed stud l4 that in turn is fastened to the plate 4. As will be understood, the spring It serves to return the armature 9 to its normal inoperative position shown in Figures 1 and 2 after it has been released by the winding l.

Fastened to the reduced end I of the shaft 6, is a hub l5 having an integral disc l6. Projecting from the disc l6 toward the disc I2, is a pin H which is adapted to be engaged by a projection I8 on an arm IS. The arm l9 has an oblong or eccentric hole 20 which fits over the shaft end 1 as best illustrated in Figure 5.

The arm I9 is pivoted at 2i to the disc I2. It will be noted from Figures 5 and 6, that the arm l9 has an arcuate recess 22 therein, and the pivoted end of the arm has tapering sides 23 and 24 extending from the opposite ends of the recess 22 to a point adjacent the pivot 2|. As shown in Figure 6, the arm I! is made up of three partsa thin strip 25 and the parts on opposite sides of the 25 as by spot-welding or other satisfactory means. This construction is just a matter of choice as the entire arm l9 may be made of one piece having the recess 22 machined therein. The recess 22 is to accommodate some movement of the pin ll therein.

When the armature 9 is in normal idle position, it will be noted from Figure 2 that the projection I8 is a little distance away fromthe pin I1, that the armature 9 starts its movement without any load, but when the projection is engages the pin H, the arm I9 is carried forward with the armature which in turn carries the disc l6 and the shaft end I. When the armature 9 reaches the full end of its stroke, its arm 10 strikes one end 26 of the field structure of the electromagnet and is suddenly stopped, but the arm [9, which extends some little distance beyond the discs l2 and I6 and has, due to its weight, considerable inertia, continues on its movement as indicated by the broken lines 21 (see Figure 3); and due to the eccentric hole 20 in the arm I9, the arm automatically shifts its position and the projection i8 is released from engagement with the pin l1. This immediately releases the load from the driven shaft 6 and its end I, and a spring 28 carried by the collar structure 29 immediately returns the shaft 6 and its end 1 to their normal starting position as shown in Figure 2. Likewise, when the electromagnet l is deenergized, the spring l3 returns the armature 9 to normal position, ready for another cycle recess 22 which are fastened to the strip would close the circuit to actuate the solenoid,

and the mechanical clutch would release the power shaft at the full end of the stroke of the machine, and the disc l6 carrying the clutch pin i! would return to normal position, and likewise the disc 12, carrying the clutch arm l9, would return to normal position as soon as the operator opened the circuit of the electromagnet. If for any reason a stop should come in the apparatus driven by the shaft 6, the clutch arm 19 would be released in the same manner as described for the complete movement of the solenoid armature.

What I claim is:

1. An electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature for directly transmitting rotary motion, a shaft rotatably mounted to deliver power from said armature, a sleeve rotatably carried on the shaft and fixedly carrying said armature, a movable arm eccentrically mounted around the shaft but pivotally supported by the sleeve, and means fixed in position with respect to the shaft for completing a driving connection between the sleeve and shaft, the arm being movable for releasing itself from said fixed means shortly after the said armature has been moved to its full-stroke position, and means for returning the armature and said release means to initial starting position.

2. An electromagnet for transmitting rotary motion having an energizing winding and a shaft rotatably mounted outside the winding, a sleeve rotatably carried on the shaft, a circular type of armature fastened to the sleeve, means for completing a driving connection between the sleeve and shaft, centrifugally operated means for releasing the driving connection between the sleeve and shaft shortly after the armature has reached its full-stroke position. and means for returning the shaft and release means to initial starting position.

3. A solenoid type of electromagnet structure having a circularly formed armature and a winding for moving the armature, the armature having an arm extending inwardly toward the axial center of the armature, a rotatable shaft carried by the structure for transmitting power from the armature to a load, a sleeve carried by the shaft and operatively carrying the armature thereon, and centrifugally operated means for releasing the armature and sleeve from the shaft directly after the armature reaches its fully operated position.

4. An electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature for directly transmitting rotary motion, a shaft rotatably mounted to deliver power from said armature, a sleeve rotatably carried on the shaft and fixedly carrying said armature, a pair of spaced discs, one fastened to the sleeve and the other fastened to the shaft, an arm positioned between the discs and having an eccentric clearance hole through which the shaft passes, the end of the arm nearest the shaft being pivoted to the disc carried by the sleeve, while the free end of the arm is of considerable weight relatively and extends beyond the periphery of the discs, the disc that is fastened to the shaft having a pin extending toward the disc fastened to the sleeve, the pivoted end of the am having a projecting portion adapted to operatively engage the pin when the armature starts rotating the sleeve and arm, the arm, due to its inertia, continuing on in its movement after the armature is suddenly stopped to release its engagement with the pin, means for then returning the shaft to starting position, and further means for then returningthe annature sleeve and arm to starting position.

5. An electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature for directly transmitting rotary motion, a shaft rotatably mounted to deliver power from said armature, a sleeve rotatably carried on the shaft and fixedly carrying said armature, a pair of spaced discs, one fastened to the sleeve and the other fastened to the shaft, an arm positioned between the discs and having an eccentric clearance hole through which the shaft passes, the end of the arm nearest the shaft having its opposite edges tapering toward each other and pivoted near the junction of said edges to the disc carried by the sleeve, while the free end of the arm has considerable weight relatively, the disc that is fastened to the shaft having a pin extending toward the disc fastened to the sleeve, the pivoted end of the arm having a projection adapted to hook onto the pin directly after the armature starts to move from rest position, the arm, due to its inertia, adapted to move forward after the armature stops and release itself from the pin, means for then returning the shaft to starting position, and further means for then returning the armature sleeve and arm to starting position.

6. An electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature for directly transmitting rotary motion, a shaft rotatably mounted to deliver power from said armature, a sleeve rotatably carried on the shaft and fixedly carrying said armature, a pair of spaced discs, one fastened to the sleeve and the other fastened to the shaft, an arm positioned between the discs and having an eccentric clearance hole through which the shaft passes, the end of the arm nearest the shaft having its opposite edges tapering toward each other and pivoted near the junction of said edges, within the boundaries of said discs, to the disc carried by the sleeve, while the free end of the arm extends considerably beyond the disc, a pin fastened to the disc carried by the shaft and extending over the path of movement of the pivoted end of said arm, this end of the arm having a projection which engages the pin after the armature and arm starts in motion, the arm automatically unlocking itself from the pin when the armature is stopped in its motion, means for then returning the shaft to starting position, and further means for then returning the armature sleeve and arm to starting position.

7. An electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature for directly transmitting rotary motion, a shaft rotatably mounted to deliver power from said armature, a sleeve rotatably carried on the shaft and fixedly carrying said armature, a pair of spaced discs, one fastened to the sleeve and the other fastened to the shaft, an arm positioned between the discs and having an eccentric clearance hole through which the shaft passes, the arm having a circular groove within the confines of the discs with its edges tapering from the ends of the groove toward each other and pivoted near the junction of said edges to the disc carried by the sleeve, a. pin fastened to the disc carried by the shaft and extending toward the other disc, the am having a projection at one end of the groove for engaging said pin after the armature starts its movement, the arm automatically unlocking itseli irom the pin when the armature is stopped in its motion, means for then returning the shaft to starting position, and further means ior then returning the armature sleeve and arm to starting position.

8. An electromagnet having an energizing winding and an armature for directly transmitting rotary motion. a shaft rotatably mounted to deliver power from said armature,- a sleeve rotatabl'y carried on the shaft and fixedly carrying said armature, means responsive to its inertia for completing a driving connection between the sleeve and shaft and also for releasing said driving connection when the armature is stopped in its movement, means for returning the arma- STANLEY S. 

